Academics
Since 1852, Westminster College has remained intent crafting a personalized learning process for students, with the aim of turning out well-rounded individuals who “can live and affect the world around us in a positive way.” The “challenging” liberal arts curriculum provides a broad foundation for academic study, and the school heavily stresses the application of what’s learned by pushing students “to prepare themselves for the future using real life simulations.” At this “very happy place,” the administration always “keeps the interests of the students in mind,” the classes are small, and “students get the attention they need.” Westminster runs on personal relationships between faculty and students, and “Even the janitor knows your name.” The low student/teacher ratio means the “extremely accessible and helpful” professors are devoted to ensuring that every last student understands the material, and “office doors are always open.” This care extends far beyond the classroom, as professors love to see students involved in interesting activities outside of classes, and they “pretty much beg you to study abroad because they know it will be so beneficial for you as a person.” “If you see some slacking there is always someone there, whether a classmate or professor, to bring you up,” says one student. A few students do remark on the school’s rather slow adoption of modern technology (“We just got wireless Internet this year”), but this is more than made up for by the “variety of courses,” “studentteacher bonds,” and “opportunities to get involved.” “Contrary to popular belief, Westminster College, not Disneyland, is the happiest place on earth,” says a student.
Student Body
The typical Titan is “extremely friendly” and academically driven; students “know how to have fun but also know when to study and hit the books.” Though the majority of Westminster students are white and Christian, “no one at Westminster is discriminatory towards other races, genders, religions, or sexual orientations.” The student body is small enough that it can be called “tight-knit,” and there’s a lot of frequent interaction among students, because almost all who go to school here “get involved with a number of extracurricular activities” or “community service and philanthropic events.” This easygoing crowd “gets along very well,” and “just about everyone fits in to the mix somewhere.” Many students say, “Westminster is your family,” and “it is a quick and easy process to make friends and find a niche.”
Campus Life
“This school has so much going on that it is almost impossible to not be involved,” says one student of the busy hive that is Westminster. There are more than 100 clubs and a wide range of activities offered, including “concerts, competitions, Humans versus Zombies, a Frisbee team, philosophy club, jazz band, flute choir, an equestrian team, an ice skating class, [and] karate class.” The administration plan events all throughout the week (“Most people stay on campus on the weekends”), such as “movies on weekends, concerts on Friday or Saturday nights, sports events at least once a week, [and] special cuisine nights at the [cafeteria].” Located in the heart of Amish country, the dry town and campus “creates a great place to focus and learn” with “small-town appeal and charm that’s irresistible.” Greek life “is especially important for socialization,” and many join it in some form or another (whether a social sorority or fraternity, or an honors society). Some students do choose to party off campus, but “it’s far enough off of campus that you don’t feel pressured to join in if you don’t want to.” Off-campus malls, restaurants, and cities “are not too far away,” but “so much is happening on campus during the week and weekends that I do not see much need to go off-campus often.”
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